Throwing for
the United States.
Daniel Pontoriero enters international wheel-throwing competitions as DAPOTTERY Studio representing the United States, throwing on unfamiliar clay in timed rounds.
Explore the competition record
appearances
the circuit
Menton round
challenge
Made live.
Measured publicly.
Competitions Around the World
The table
is set again
A return to the International Menemen Pottery Festival: three days of clay, open fire, and exchange between makers in the town’s festival grounds.
- Date
- Sep 18–20, 2026
- Place
- Menemen, İzmir
- Context
- International festival
Return to
Faenza
Daniel’s second year at Faenza, throwing live as the USA representative. With over 120 competitors this year, many master potters were in attendance, even the famous Tortus Copenhagen.
- Role
- USA representative
- Format
- Live wheel throwing
- Chapter
- International circuit
Twenty minutes.
Seven kilos.
Three public tests of scale and control at the 6e Marché International de la Céramique: the largest closed egg form, the widest bowl, and the tallest cylinder.
- Date
- May 31, 2025
- Role
- USA representative
- Rounds
- Three measured forms
İzmir
4th International
Pottery Festival
Three days of public competition, demonstrations, exhibition, and exchange. Daniel participated as the sole United States representative while the wheel became a meeting point between artists and the city.
- Date
- Sep 5–7, 2025
- Role
- Sole USA representative
- Context
- Festival + exhibition
Faenza
The first
international start
Mondial Tornianti during Argillà Italia marked Daniel’s entry into the international circuit—turning years of private studio repetition into a live public performance.
- Date
- Aug 30–Sep 1
- Role
- USA representative
- Significance
- First circuit appearance
Technique
without rehearsal.
When competing the artworks are judged on centering, height, and width, along with aesthetic beauty. In these competitions the clay is always different, challenging you on how well you recover when the clay behaves differently than expected.
Center
Center the clay straight away; the clock is already running.
Build
Move clay upward or outward while preserving enough structure to finish.
Close
Resolve volume and surface under pressure, without a second attempt.
Exchange
Learn beside artists whose tools, clay, rhythms, and traditions are different.